The Scottish Episcopal Church and 13 other denominations join together in prayer at 7pm on Sunday 6 September in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those joining together in prayer, which appears in English and Gaelic below, will also light candles.

Churches Together In England continue to pray each Sunday at 7pm and are using the hashtag #prayersofhope to share the message on social media.

In a joint message, church leaders in Scotland said:

“We live in a time in which we have had to adjust to restrictions in the manner in which we gather as the people of God. The restrictions, for good reasons, have necessarily limited the numbers of those who can gather together for prayer and worship. This has presented many challenges and the challenges are ongoing.

“The limitation on the numbers who are able to gather might, at times, give the sense that our gatherings, whether virtual or actual, are in some way diminished. If so, the words of the Gospel of Matthew encourage us to think along a different path. Jesus says: ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them’. (Matthew 18: 20) Wherever we gather and however we gather; whether together or in our own company, Jesus is present and he will never leave us or forsake us. We are not alone.”

We pray:

Living God,
You gather us together
From across the face of the earth,
That we might worship your holy Name
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
We gather together in strange times,
Whether virtually or actually,
And ask that you will accept our worship of your holy Name.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
You gather us together
In the company of those who have gone before us.
Hold us safe in your keeping and watch over us as the people of God.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
We come in the assurance
That, where we gather in the name of Jesus,
He is there among us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
Whether we gather in twos or in threes,
Or whether we come to you in our own company,
Never leave us or forsake us.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Living God,
We come, in the company of all your people,
And together we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
To the glory of God the Father.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Signed by:

Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
Rt. Rev. Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
Rev. John Fulton, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
Rev. Dr David Pickering, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
Rev. May-Kane Logan, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
Rev. Jim Ritchie, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)

Gairm gu ùrnaigh: Latha na Sàbaid, 6mh dhen t-Sultain, ùrnaigh aig 7f

“Anns na mìosan a chaidh seachad, tha sinn air atharraichean mòra fhaicinn anns na dòighean anns a bheil sinn a’ tighinn còmhla mar shluagh Dhè. Airson adhbharan matha, chaidh cuingealachadh a chuir air na h-aireamhan de
dhaoine a dh’fhaodas coinneachadh airson ùrnaigh agus adhradh. Tha dùbhlannan an lùib sin, dùbhlannan leanntainneach.
“Ma dh’fhaoidte gu bheil sinn a’ faireachdainn aig amannan gu bheil an cuingealachadh seo air ar coinneamhan – an dà chuid an làthair agus air loidhne – a’ call beagan dhen bhrìgh. Ach tha sealladh eile againn ann an Soisgeul Mhata, far a bheil Ìosa ag innse dhuinn, “far a bheil dithis no triùir air an cruinneachadh nam ainm-sa, an sin tha mise nam measg.” (Mata 18: 20). Ge b’e an t-àite no an dòigh anns a chruinneachas sinn, tha Ìosa an làthair agus cha trèig e a-chaoidh sinn idir. Chan eil sinn nar n-aonar.”

Dèanamaid ùrnaigh:

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar cruinneachadh còmhla
às gach ceàrn dhen t-saoghail,
gus an toir sinn moladh dod Ainmn Naomh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha sinn a’ cruinneachadh ann an làithean neònach,
Gu fiosaigeach no air loidhne,
agus tha sinn a’ guidhe ort gun gabh thu ris ar n-adhraidh a-chum cliù d’Ainme Naoimh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha thu gar cruinneachadh còmhla,
maille ris an fheadhainn a chaidh romhainn.
Glèidh sinn, a Dhè, ar fear-coimhid, oir is sinn do shluagh.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha sinn a’ tighinn còmhla le cinnt
gu bheil Ìosa nar measg,
nuair a chruinneachas sinn na ainm.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Ma thig sinn còmhla le dithis no triùir,
no ma thig sinn thugad nar n-aonar,
na trèig sinn a-chaoidh.
A Thighearna, na do tròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

A Dhè bheò,
Tha sinn a’ cruinneachadh maille ri do phoball gu lèir,
Agus mar aon tha sinn ag aideachadh gur e Ìosa Crìosd an Tighearna,
a-chum glòir Dhè an t-Athair.
A Thighearna, na do thròcair,
èist ri ar n-ùrnaigh.

Soidhnichte:

Am Fìor Urramach Marcus Strange, Primus as leth Colaiste nan Easbaigean, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba
An Ceart Urramach Màrtainn Fair, Moderàtor Àrd-Sheanadh Eaglais na h-Alba
Am Fìor Urramach Leo Cushley, Àrd-Easbaig Chill Rìmhinn agus Dùn Èideann
An t-Urramach Iain Fulton, Moderàtor, Eaglais Shaor Aonaichte na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Daibhidh Pickering, Moderàtor, Eaglais Ath-Leasaichte Aonaichte (Alba)
An t-Urramach Màrtainn Hodson, Àrd-Stiùiriche, Aonadh Baisteach na h-Alba
An t-Urramach Marcus Slaney, Cathraiche Roinn-Dùthcha, Eaglais nam Methodach (Alba)
An t-Urramach May-Kane Logan, Cathraiche, Caidreachas Co-thionalach ann an Alba
Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Rùnaire na h-Alba, Feachd na Slàinte
Adwao Bittle, Comann nan Caraidean (Cuagairean)
An t-Urramach Jim Ritchie, Àrd-Neach-Stiùiridh Roinn-Dùthcha, Eileanan Bhreatainn, Eaglais an Nàsaraich
Aoghaire Chris Gbenle, Aoghaire Roinn-Dùthcha, Mòr-Roinn na h-Alba, Eaglais Chrìosdal air Saoradh le Dia
Easbaig Francis Alao, Eaglais Dhè (Alba)/ Eaglaisean nam mìon-shluagh còmhla ann an Alba (MECTIS)
An t-Urramach Fred Drummond, Stiùiriche, Caidreachas Soisgeulach (Alba)